Wireless not connecting

[Cheshire Cat]

Could someone please advise me on why my wireless connection to my laptop would suddenly decide not to work?

It works ok with my son's laptop but I keep being told I am not connected.

I am currently plugged into an ethernet cable which is working ok but very inconvenient.

If anyone can advise how to correct this I would be most grateful.

I am with AOL and my system is Windows Vista.

[Elaine ..Spain]

Might sound silly but have you accidentally switched the wireless facility off.
There is usually a button somewhere on the computer which switches it on and off.

[Cheshire Cat]

Might sound silly but have you accidentally switched the wireless facility off.
There is usually a button somewhere on the computer which switches it on and off.

:D I did wonder myself, but it IS switched on!

[James]

Have you tried switching off and on again?

[Cheshire Cat]

Have you tried switching off and on again?

Hello James

I have just tried and no go I'm afraid.

I may have a new clue. The Windows Vista Diagnostics tell me that the wireless security settings do not match settings on ............(my network name).

How do I know what my settings should be and why suddenly are they wrong? :(

[Margaret in Burton]

I'm having exactly the same problem with my laptop. It just suddenly died on me.
The same thing happened to my daughter's laptop about a year ago and we bought a wireless adaptor for it. That worked fine for a while then suddenly stopped. OH as similar adaptor in the back of his PC as he is nowhere near the phone socket. His works fine but his adaptor won't work in mine or daughters laptop. Keeps asking for an installation disc but they don't have one.
BT Voyager 1055 is the adaptor.

I am on XP by the way.
I too have to connect via a cable, faster yes, but inconvenient especially this weather when I would like to be able to sit in the garden with laptop.

I just think that the internal wi-fi whatever has packed in.

[chrissiebee]

Forgive me here, as I am a complete technophobe! Daughter had exactly the same problem last week with her laptop, and my hubby's new one has just done exactly the same thing! Daughter took hers down to these fantastic family-run PC/laptop experts in town, who immediately recognised the problem. All down to Windows Vista, apparently, and this company had 20 laptops in one day taken to them to fix!. Daughter had hers fixed in two minutes flat, so my hubby will be making a visit to this company first thing tomorrow......

Not much help, I know.............

Chris

[WendyPusey]

My new laptop did exactly the same. My son took one look and said it's a Vista problem, and promptly uninstalled Vista and put XP back on. Problem solved.

[Cheshire Cat]

Forgive me here, as I am a complete technophobe! Daughter had exactly the same problem last week with her laptop, and my hubby's new one has just done exactly the same thing! Daughter took hers down to these fantastic family-run PC/laptop experts in town, who immediately recognised the problem. All down to Windows Vista, apparently, and this company had 20 laptops in one day taken to them to fix!. Daughter had hers fixed in two minutes flat, so my hubby will be making a visit to this company first thing tomorrow......

Not much help, I know.............

Chris

Wow Chris,thank you, it definitely IS helpful. The problem first occured a week last Friday just before I went on holiday for a week. I was hoping it would have put itself right by the time I got back. This ties in nicely with the same time as your family's problems.
Obviously a Vista thing. My husband says it could have been an update that caused it, so he could be right for once. :D
I will get onto a local computer repair man, who helped me out once before, to see if he can sort it for me.

[yorkshirelad]

hi cous
Had a word with M he says 1 - disconnect the router from mains
if not 2 - reset the key if not this the router my be faulty so see a dealer
trouble is trying to diagnose from a distance!
Jeff

[Margaret in Burton]

hi cous
Had a word with M he says 1 - disconnect the router from mains
if not 2 - reset the key if not this the router my be faulty so see a dealer
trouble is trying to diagnose from a distance!
Jeff

Hi Jeff

Not the same problem as mine as me and daughter are on XP not vista. OH computer is working fine wirelessly.

[Chipesh]

If you click on the wireless network icon on the taskbar you should get Wireless connection status. On the support tab you should have an IP address of 192.168.1.8 or similar.
It shouldn't be 169......

Only the last number should be different on both machines.

You can also get this from start, then "run" then type cmd and enter.
At the prompt in the scary black box type ipconfig and enter..
.
All is not well in Vista networking.

Bob

[Cheshire Cat]

Hi All :D

I am happy now because I am up and running again.

I had a local computer expert out and the cause of the problem was unexplained changes in my security settings. Very strange because I (and other family members) have never touched them. He changed the settings and typed in my WEP key - 26 numbers and that was it.

The mystery is WHY they should change, could it have been an update that upset it?

Thank you all for your help and suggestions, very much appreciated.

[Margaret in Burton]

I wonder why I suddenly lost wireless on my laptop. I know I had a bit of a wine spill :o but my daughters didn't and hers won't connect either.

What security settings are they and where?

I wondered if an update had mucked things up.

I am on XP

[Cheshire Cat]

Hi Margaret

I am not sure how you find them on XP as I am on Vista now.

The chap went into Properties when right clicking on the Network. He altered the security type to Open and also the Encryption type to WEP. He then put in my security number.

He was mystified as to why these settings had changed and did wonder whether Microsoft updates had altered them. Most definitely none of my family had changed them - we wouldn't have know where to go to do that.

Hope you get sorted out soon.

[Margaret in Burton]

Hi Joy

My connections are already set on that.

It just died on both of us, yet OH still has a wireless connection on his

The router shows in the list of available networks but it just keeps saying "no connection".

I really must buy a network wireless adaptor to see if i can get it working.